Latch mechanism



T 1635579 July 1927 J, LEDWINKA LAW}: usciumlsm 7 Filed Jan. 29, 1925 3 sheets-sheen.

. INVENTOR." JOSEPH LEDWINKA BY g ATTORNEY.

Q "1 635 51a 12, #947. J. LEDWINKA 9 9 I LATCH MECHANISM Filed Jan.,29, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fwd? 'INVENTOR.

JOSEPH LEDWINKAQ Less-5m A Jul 12. 1927;

4; LEDWENKA LATCH umcam'rsu Filed Jan; 29, 1925" 3 sheetu-Sheet3 INVENTOR. JOSEPH LEDWlNKA '4 TTORNEY.

I 40 nism originated by Patented July 12, .1921.

UNITED STATES JOSEPTI LEDWINKA,'0F PHTLADELPHIA, IPENNSYIiVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO 00., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A. QOBPOB BUDD MANUFACTURING OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed January my invention applies to both alike. Too,

while of major application in this -field, some minor application may be found in other fields more or less related to this one. The primary object of locks of this type is theembodiment of the construction which admits of the employment of a door-window-pane of substantially the full width of the door and the consequent reduction of the opaque projection. of the vertically extending door rails to a minimum, thereby widening substantially the range of window vision of the occupants of the car. There are thereby obtained not only greater pleasure and comfort for the occupants, but also 28 a markedly increased safety, since every 0 struction to vision is a menace. Full or perfe'ct'vision is the ultimateaim, but this of course is impossible of attainment by reason of the practical necessity of some form of 30 support for the top of the car. But by means of this invention, as by means of others in the same field, a construction which most closely approaches this full and perfect vision may be secured. Particularly, my. present invention is an improvement over and above that form of such latch mechanisms covered by the U. S. Patent to Kleinsmith, No. 1,348,882, granted August 10, 1920. The form of latch mecha- Kleinsmith comprises two latch-operating devices adapted to be located respectively on the outside and on the inside of the door, and toeneompass be: tween' them asubstantially free space through which the window pane may be operated without interference fromthe latch operating devices, and an interlocking memher which circumvents this free space and the edge of the window pane in any of its 50. positions from uppermost to lowermost position, this interlocking member being of U- form. A U-shaped frame is pivoted below the edge of the window glass i its lowermost position and has brancbe si extending compression only,

P 4 v. a up D G. LEIGH LATCH MECHANISM.

29, 1925. Serial Tia. 5,423.

walls which, by reason of the rectilinear movement of the window glass, very materially narrows the available space for the interlocking member. I aim, further, to have my latch mechanism, and particularly the interlocking means, occupy a space, a space compatible with the available space so restricted by the curved form'of the door panels. Still further, I aim to combine such a latch-operating member with those practical latch-operatin devices, such necessary for reliable, eiiicient and satisfying service, And, finally, I aim to embody in the latch mechanism at large those features of independent operation from inside and outside having to do with the same eiiicient and satisfying service.

There are yet other aims which I have realized which will appear as understanding of the invention progresses. Prominent among them are the general simplification .of the combination and its elements, the elimination as far as possible of parts which may rattle, and the construction of those remaining parts andtheir bearings so that liability to loosen and introduce lost motion and rattle is reduced to a minimum.

The aims of my invention I reach in the main by circumventing the free space for the window glass by means of an interlock ing member which is bodily reciprocated' rather than oscillated or rocked, or sub- .jected to a movement of linear progression.

One branch of the interlocking member I operateunder tension and the other under whereby I am enabled to minimum Y as roll-backs, levers and spindles, which are maintain the-section of the branch funder tension of a form compatible with the available restricted space, even an extremely narrow space lmposed by extreme curvature. of

the door panel. The remaining advantages follow from this construction tion with the devices now to be (it the drawings: Fig. l is a side elevation of the sedan body, two adjoining doors of which are shown to be equipped with my invention.

in combinadescribed.

Fig. 2 is a substantially central transverse section through the inside and outside latchoperating devices of each door.

Fig. 3 IS a sectional elevation of the inside If pitch-operating device taken on line3--3 of i 2. 1 ig. 4 is a similar elevation of he outside latch-operating device taken on the line of that number in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a general side elevation of the entire latch mechanism, in -luding the interlocking member as it would appear if removed from the door, or before attachment to the door, with the parts arranged, in the 15 relation which they are intended to occupy in the door.

Fig. 6 is a corresponding front end elevation. i Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional detail of a portion of one branchof the interlock taken or line 77 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a modified form of inside latch operating device, correspondin in the main to that shown in 25 Fig. 3, and

i fication on line ,9 of-Fig. 8. a

The front and rear doors of the body are designated respectively 10 and 11. In this body they close toward each other. Each is .provided withoneof the latch mechanisms of my in'vention'shown in side and end elevation in Figs. 5 and 6. In this embodiment these latch mechanisms are independent, in that the bolts 12 engage independent keepers 13 mounted on opposi e faces of the intermediate B-C'post (see Fig. 2). But I wish it to be understood at the outset that my invention ma be practiced with dependen as well as in ependent latch mechanisms in adjacent doors. Moreover, that it is independent of the form of bolt em loyed, whether that type be 'of the sliding ho t herein described, or whether of the swinging latch bolt, and whether these latch bolts be mounted upon the door or upon the door post, and whether they are used singly or in multiple.

Numeral 14 is the inside latch-operating mechanism and 15 is the outside latch-operating mechanism (Figs. 5 and 6) .while 16 is the interlocking member.

The latch operatin device 14 (see Figs. 2

and 3) comprises a ase plate 18 having a frontal flange 19, a slide le bolt operatin member 20 on the head of which is mounte the sliding bolt 12, an overlying slide plate 21 therefor, a stamping. of channel section having lip flanges 22 by means of which it is secured. to the base plate, a primary bolt operating member 23 in the form of a bell crank pivoted at 24 to the base plate 18, and having a vertical armor lever 25 engag- .ing pin 26 in the slidable bolt 0 rating "member 20 within the flaring bong 27 of g. 9 is a transverse section of this modiassure its upper end, and the secondary operating member 28 in the form of a vertically extending lever carried in the plane of thelever arm 25 from the same pivot at 24 as the bell crank 23,, (the lower end being offset for this urpose,) and provided at its upperend wit an'operating'handle 29. The belt may be operated to retract it by handle 29 by movin it to the left, as'viewed in Fig. 3, the e go of lever .28 bearin against the contiguous edge of lever 25 0 the bell crank. t is projected forwardly by the spiral. spring 30 housed within the elongatedslot 31 in its main body and bearing at its opposite ends against the fore end 32 of the ha y and a lug 33 struck inwardly from the base plate 18 and projecting transversely of the slot31. The end of the bolt 20 coacting with the primary and'secondary operatin members 25 and 28 is cut away for a dep 86 sufiicient to accommodate the thickness of members 25 and 28, and the height of pin 26 (see Fi 2 and the depth of the channel sectioned guide 21 is maintained substantially uniform excepting for an increase of 9 depth at its fore end 34, designed the better to accommodate and guide a spiral spring of proper proportions. i

This inside latch operating device 14 is adapted, by reason of the form of its base plate 18 and its general structural configuration, to be located at the inside of the door, as shown in Fig. 2. The body of its base plate 18 is rested at its front margin upon the inturned flange 35 of the Z-sectioned door rail 36, its flan e 19 is founded against the inner arm 57" of the rail 36, and its rear margin bears against. the inner lock board 37 by means of the projection 38, or a multi le number of such projections which are ie- 10; pressed from the body of the base plate. Securementis vby any well known means, and is not shown.

The outside latch-operating device 15, shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 4, comprises a base pla-te 39 having a frontal flange 40; a slidable bolt operating member 41 arranged to slide, not transversely like the bolt operatin member 20 of the inside latch operating evi'ce, but'substantially vertically of the base plate; a guiding member 42 therefor like the guiding member 21, of channel section having lip flanges 43 by means-0f which it is secured to the base plate, and a secondary latch-operating member in the no form of a double winged roll-back 44, ..n gaging roll-back followers or talons 45 connected with the followerx4l, which roll-back is operable through the usual transverse spindle 46, to whichis applied the operating; 12:; handle 47 on the exterior of the door. By rotating handle 47 in either direction, the

'slidable bolt operatin member 41 is retracted upwardly in a su stantiallyvertical di-' rection. ,It is normally projected forwardly 130.

3 is avoided and against this rear flange by a s iral spring 48 carried by a stud'49 secure upon semi-circular extension 51 of the base 39. This spring 48 bears ag'alnst its upper or rear end. The slidable .bolt' operating member 41 itself is a pressed metal stamping, as are substantially all the prigi-z v flanges 52, spacing its main'body above the base plate substantially to the depth of the guide channel. 42 and therefor serving as guides, is provided further with a depending rear flange 53 of slightly less height than the flanges 52,

undue friction with the base plalte tie end 54 of projecting spring 48 bears. The body of the stamping 41 is-entirely cut away whereby surrounding the roll-back 44, and the rollback followers or talons 45 areformed of this struck-away portion. Like the rear they too are of lesser depth thanthe side flanges 52, and for the same purgose. The lower end of the stamping 41, esignated 55, is extended forwardly of the plate and is'ta ring in outline.- This latch-operating device of Figs. 2

and 4 is-ada'pted to be mounted toward the 1 outside of'thebolt.

plate usually provided to The frontal margin of 39 isadapted to rest against "and be founded upon the front face of the glass run channel 56, while its frontal flange 40 is founded upon and secured to the branch 57 of the door rail 36 by any chosen means. A latch locking device 58 indicated in general in, Fig. 2'(and not a part of the present invention) projects through the web of door rail 36 and may be operated from the ed e of the door when the door is open.

bridge 59 across the guide 42,- having a top 60 hearing against the outer panel 61', serves for the mounting of the escutcheon 62 finish the outside apearance.

The'interlocking member 16 of the latch mechanism (Figs. 1, 5 and 6) is in the form of a U-shaped frame of rigid and semirigid construction. The inner branch 63 is being of the thickened a central stiffening ad 64. It may be given any other section adapting it to resist bend- I ingmoments when placed under compresl0I1-' At its upper end it is connected by the pin and slot connection 65-66,'which provides lost motin,'with the arm 67 of the bell crank 23. Its lower end is ofi'set outwardly as at 68 and then extended downwardly to meet the oppositely shaped lower end of the outer branch 69, which is secured thereto. Together, an" '69' are assed through a slotted guide'70 these lower ends of branches '63 borne by a racket 71 adapted to be attached to the webof door'rail 36. Mounted within theslotted guide 70 and exerting sufficient pressure between the guide and theinter- 'by which rigid. At its upper end whereby differences in right up against locking member to keep out lost motion and rattle, is the antia'attle spring 72, which in the embodiment shown is secured to the mterlocking member by the same means 74 the branches thereof are secured together. The outer branch 6!) is of a thin and fiat section, as may be discerned from Figs' and 6, and of a semi-rigid nature, being. in the form of a flexible strap of comparatively thin cross section. Nevertheless, the offset 68 of its lower end is of sufficient stiffness to render the entire the interlocking member 16 substantially it is connected 'pi'votaliy by means of the pin 75 with the depending lower end 55 of the elidable bolt operating member 41 of the outer latch-operating device ner and .onter...branrllt filfidcipd 69-of interlocking member 16'to lie in diiiiii eiivtitins f verse planes. as clearly appearsm Figs.

1,' 5 and 6, whereby the ing device may occupy a position toward the lock rail 36 of the. door inadvance of the inside latch-operating device 14, and

location of the secondary latch-operating members comprising the lever 28 and the roll-back 44 may becompensated for. i i

Soorganized, my invention achieves all of the objects which I set out to attain. The outside latch-operating device 15 is nested the glass run 56.itself, as close asit is possible to get to the window glass 76. The glass run itself is located outside latch-operat- .close up against the rabbet 77 in the door rail 36. So, the outside branch 69of the inter- A' locking member 16 projects substantially vertically downward to the restricted space through which it must pass between the outer door anel 61 and the bottom edge of the glass 6 in its lowermost position, insuring a direct and unbiased pull upon the interlocking member. In opening the door from the'outside, the handle 47 may be operated in either direction, and in either case the slidable bolt operating member 41 is lifted, pulling (not pushing) upon the thin, flexible branch 69 of the interlocking member andthereby lifting said member bodily through its guide 70, and through compression of the inside branch 63, operating the bell crank 23 to reciprocate transversely the slidable bolt operating member of the inside latchoperating device 14. This is'accomplished without lost motion by reason of the fact that end normally rests in the bottom of slot 66 at the upper end of the branch 63 of the interlock. Upon release of operating handle 47, spring 48, in conjunction with spiral spring 30, returns the parts to their bight portion of 15. And l have oflset the in g5l .......s.....

normal positions. Spring 30, acting through f branch 63, precludes the application 015a compression force to the branch 69, and preeludes-its buckling. Thisop'eration is entirely independent 6f the inside latch-opcrating member 28, and this latch-operating member is not movedfrom its normal position, since the cut-away portion of the slidmg member20 is of such extent that the sliding member, does not engage the lever in its reciprocation.

To operate the latch" mechanism from the inside, handle 29 is gras d and lever 28 pulled back, whereupon tie bolt member 20 is, in this case, drawn :lirect engagement of levers 28 and 25. In this case neither the outside operating mechanism 15 nor the interlocking member 16 is moved, since end 65 moves upwardly of slot 66 and the lost motion. precludes any moving engagement with the parts. So, 0 ration b the inside device 14 is in turn, w ile still trough the common primary operating member 23,'likewise independent of the operation of the outside device 15. And by n of the fact that the outside opcrating device and the interlocking member 16 remain at rest in this operation, project- 0 rating back by in spring needs be of moderate strength.

on y. Both the inside and the outside latchoperating devices are of essentially simple construction, formed f together bythe simplest and most sturdy and durable means, configured and connected together so that there is an utter absence of th t lost. motion which may inhibit rattle.

Yet t e interconnection through the interlocking member 63 is positive, direct and effective. The free space for the. window glass encompassed by the devices .14 and 15 is circumvented entirely by the interlocking member 16, and the form of this member .is

such that it may be most readily adaptedand such slight deflect-ion of this inflexible membe'ras might follow would not im mir.

the excellent operation in any way. aking the spiral spring 30. sulticiently strong not only toproject bolt 12. but also to return -the interlocking member 16, keeps the entire train of operating devices from the bolt 12 all the way through to the roll-back 15 under the tension of the spring. and effectively preeludes longitudinal rattle thereof.

The modification of Figs. 8 and 9 does not difl'er materially from the inside lockln device of Figs. 2 and 4 except in the substitution of the vertical rotatable spindle 77 the slidugh cam {for the vertical oscillatable operigling lever 28. This spindle dimctl engage able bolt operating mm or 20 th .the most, part of. the simplest sheet meta stampings, secured assure arm 78 on its lower end, which engages the followerv projection '79 projected upwardly from the upper sideof the sliding member 20. This spindle is operated by the usual handle 80.; The upper end of the 1011' branch 63 of. interlock 16 is provided wit an anti-rattling spring 81 secured at the. lower end to the 'main body of this branch, and having its bowed upper end projectin between the branch 63 and the arm 78 o the bell crank tis-s'il by the shouldered machine screw 85 with iwn'nncc. t'or thespring. S0 rattleil p1 evont tl. (The same construction is shown m the form of Fig. 3. Otherwise the orso ganization of this modification of the inside latch-operating device 14 is essentially similar. to the form first described and the parts are accordingly similarly numbered.

here are without doubt yet other modifications of my invention which embed its generic spirit. All such modifications o the whole or any of its arts'I aim' to comprehend in the annexe claims. 7 I What I claim is:

1. A door latch mechanism com rising inside and outside latch-operating evices adapted to be mounted on opposite sides of the door with free 5 ace between them and a reciprocable inter ock betweeni said "upcrating devices which circumvents theiree space between the operating devices, sdid interlock comprisin two circumventin a branches, one on eac side of the plane 0 101? said free space, one of which is operated always in tension and the other of which is operated always in compresion.

2. A door'latch mechanism comprising in- I side and outside. latch-operating devices adapted to be mounted on opposite sides of the door with free space between ithem, and a reciprocable interlock between said open sting devices which circumvents the freespace between the operating device's, said interlock comprising two circumventing branches, one on each side of the lane of said free space, the outside branc of; f

which is operatedalways' in tension and the inside branch of which is operated al ways in'com ression.

3. A door atch mechanism comprising in side and outside latch-operating devices adapted to be mounted on oppositesides of the door with free space between them, and a reeiproeable interlock between said oper- 12o ating devices which circumvents the free space between the operating devices, said interlock comprising two circumventin branches, one on each side the plane of sai freespace, the outside branch of which is fleizible and the inside branch of which is still and inflexible.

4. A door latch mechanism comprising inside and ioutside latch-operating devices ad:

lcvcr 23, the parts being conuted to be mounted on opposite sides at operating the door with free I gether with arelatively fixed guide for thati ,member' only,

- member separated .6"

I primary operating member,

side and outside latch-operating,

' adapted to the door with free space between them, and

a reciprocable interlock. between said operathig devices which circumvents the free space between the operating devices, to-

moved from said free space;

5. A door latch mechanism comprising indevices adapted to be mounted. on opposite sides of the door withffree space between them, and a reciprocableinterlock between said devices which circumvents the free between the operating devices, together with a relatively fixed guide for that portion of, said. interlock'most'distantly removed from said-free space, which guideis be attached to the lock-rail of space the door.

6. A door latch mechanism comprlsmginside and outside latch-operating devices adapted to be mounted on opposite sides of ace between them, and a reciprocable inter ockbetween said operating devices which circumvents the free space between the operating devices, toportion of saiduinterlock most distantly removed from said free space, and an antirattling device associated-with said inter -lock, and guide.

7. Adoor latch'mechanism comprising a member slidable in the plane of the door, a pr mary operating lever for said slidable member, a secondary operating lever adaptedto move the slidable member through the intermediary of said! primary operating a second secondary operating from the first by a free space, and a link connect-ion between said second secondary operating member and the embodying.- a lost motion connection and circumventingsaid free space.

8. A door latch mechanism comprising inside and outside latch operating devices adaptedto be mounted'on opposite sides of the dooran'd' to embrace a sliding window therebetween, and a reclprocable interlock circumventing said sliding window whereby to interlock-said operating devices.

. Adoor-latcb mechanism comprising in-'..

side and outside latch operating dev ces adapted to be mounted on opposite sides .of the .door and to embrace a sliding windowv thcrebetween, and: a reciprocable interlock interconnecting said operating devices,

said interlock being disposed in the-generalplane of the body of the door and arran ed for circumvention of said sliding win ow..-

10. A door inside and outside latch operating devices adapted to be mounted on opposite sides of I the door whereby to accommodate therebewhereby to embracing the path of movement of adapted to be mounted on the door in 'suc operable by latch mechanism comprising tween a sliding window of a width substantia-lly equal to the full width of thc door, and a vertically reciprocable interlocking device interconne'ctingsaid operating devices provide for actuation of said latch by either of said operating devices. 11. .A door latch mechanism comprising inside and outside latch opera-ting devices adapted to be mounted on opposite sides of the door whereby to accommodate therebetween a sliding window of a \Vldtll substan-. tially equal to the full width of the door, and an interlocking device interconnecting said latch operating devices, said interlocking device circumventing one edge of said sliding window, and being bodily reciprocable by actuation of one of said latch operating devices. I 1 I 12. A door latch mechanism comprising inside and outside latch operating devices adapted to be mounted on the door 'in' such manner as to accommodate thcrebetween a sliding window of awidth substantially equal to the full width of the door, said latch-operating devices each embodying an element movable'in difi'erent planes, respectively, to actuate the latch, and an interlocking member between said operating devices sal sliding window and adapted to be vertically lifted by one of said operating devices to actuate the latch.

13. A door latch mechanism comprising inside and outside latch operating devices manner as to'accominodate therebetween a sliding window. of a width substantially equal to the full width of the door, said opcrating devices each embodying an element difierent movements, respectively, to actuate the latch, an interlocking member interconnecting said operating devices-and embracing the path of movement of said sliding window, said interlockin member being bodily liftable by one of sai operating devices, and meansbetween said interlocking operating evices ferent movements of said operatingdevices. 14. A door latch mechanism comprising a bolt adapted to be located on one side 6 the door, inside and outside operating devices ,for actual; amid bolt, one ofsaid operating devices' ing spacedfrom said bolt n th other 0 to accommodate a s iding window therebeperating device in rder.

member and'the other of said for coordinating the difrim,

tween," and means interconnecting said de-' vices and circumventing the bottomcdge of said sliding window-and bodily reciprocable by operation of one of said. operating devices to actuate the other of sai devices.

'15. A door latch mechanism including a bolt adapted to-he located on one side of the door, inside and outside operating dev1ces for sa id bolt; arranged on opposite sides of Q i r 1,035,570

the door to accommodate a sliding window therebetween of a width substantially equal to the full width of the body. of the door, and a bodily vertically liftable member circumventing one edge of said sliding window and interlocking said bolt operating devices, one of said connections between said operatin devices and said interlocking member em (1 ing a lost motion. I

16. 'l he combination with a door adapted to have a sliding window of a width substantially equal to the full width of the body of the door, of a latch mechanism therefor including a bolt, inside and outside operating mechanisms for said bolt located 15 on opposite sides of the path of movement of em slidingwindow, said mechanismsineluding elements rectilinearly and oscillatabli shiftable, respectively, and an interlockin member interconnecting said elements 20 whereby one may be operated by the other to actuate said bolt.

In testimony whereof-I hereuntoaffix my signature.

JOSEPH LEDWINKA: 

